Electrical conductor and joint therefor.



PATENTED NOV. 2o, 1,906.

F. J. TONE. ELBOTRIOM.- OONDUOTOR AND JOINT1 H'ERr-,PO-R-'4 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11. 1905.

INVENTOR WITNESSES UNITED SIATESv PATENT OFFIOE.

- .FRANKjrL TONEQOF NIAGARA FALLS.`NEW YORK. ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR AND JOINT THEREFCR..

To all whom t may concer-n,.- e

Be it known that I, FRANK J.. TONE, of

- Niagara Falls Niagara county, New York,

have inventeV mentA in Electrical Conductors and Joints Therefor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in`which-: 'v Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in section and with thecircutconnections omitted, `of a conductor or electrode constructed 1n accordance with my'invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on theline II II of Fig. 1 with the electrical connections shown. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a'modiiication; and Fig. 4 is aside elevation,

used in e ectric furnaces for the purpose of conducting a current to the zone of high temperature and reaction within the furnace.

` These features usually consistE of oneor machine or otherwise it such surfaces very accurately in order to avoid small contact areas, which becoming overheated destroy the surface of the metal and shorten the life of the electrode or terminal. The invention is designed to obviate this machining of the able for this purpose.

contact surfaces by interposing between them a layer ofgraphite, preferably that form of graphite which is produced in electric furnaces. .This form of graphite has peculiar properties, among them great density and a capability of being readily compressed and'mclded, which make it extremely suit- In fact, this capability is present to such 'a degreethat the material may in a sense be termed plastic,

which is not true of natural Graphite. If

portions of natural and electricaIly-produced graphite be subjected to equal pressure, the electrically-produced graphite is found to be e Slzveoicaton of Letters Iatent. Application filed ITovemberjlly 1905. Serial No. 286.796.

a new and useful Improvepartly in vertical section, of the form shown in Fi The `invention relates to electric conduc-v t0rs,and articularly -to electrodes which are Patented Nov. 20, 1906 a fineegrained mass of good strength and capable of being cut and machined. The com-l pressed' mass of natural graphite, on the contrary, cannot be cleanly cut or machined, and its cohesive and moldable properties are so inferior that a binder must be added. The peculiar properties of .the lelectrically-produced material I attribute to its ne state of Y subdivision due to the complete breaking up .of each molecule of thel carbid apparently without fusion.

I-n practicing my invention the interposed graphite layer is by suitable means compressed between the contact-surfaces into a `dense layer of high conductivity and having mostv intimate contact with the adjacent surfaces regardless of their inequalities. `This feature of my invention is also applicable generally to joints in electrical conductors where it is essential to make a perfect electrical connection of high conductivity.`

Another feature. of my invention consists in providing the electrode or conductor with a water-jacket having means for`providing a circulation of water or other cooling medium therethrough. This not only serves the puipose of keeping'the metal-holder, 'which becomes highly heated by reason of'the heat transmittedl from the zone of vreactionv within the furnace below the fusion-point, but also very considerably'A reduces the corrosion and oxidation of the metal, which at high temperatures is ordinarily very rapid. It also serves to keep the metal at a normal temper- 'ature, where-its electrical conductivity is highest.

Another feature of the invention consists 7in providing the carbon electrodes or conduc-A tors with means for preventing the oxidation of those portions of them which are exposed to the air and become overheated. This I do by surrounding them with a layer of cemented refractory material, for which purpose various silicocarbids, such as crystalline and amor hous carborundum'and siloxicon, are foun to be well adapted. This refractory material is mixed with a suitable binder, such as eernentor silicate of soda, and the mixture is brought to the consistency of a stiff mortar. It is then molded into a jacket which conforms to the exterior shape of the carbons whichcompose the electrode. 'In some cases' I `have also found it useful to place cooling means within the mass of refractory material composing this jacket to IOO preserve it from the effect of excessive heat Y and to supplement the cooling of the electrode by the water-cooled holder above described.

In the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made for a more complete understanding of my invention, Fig. 1 shows two carbon bars or blocks 2 2 assembled to form an electrode. clamping bars, having suitableprojections 4, to which are connected the terminals of the supply-conductors 5. The clamping-bars 3 are connected and clamped firmly against the carbons 2 by means of threaded bolts or nipples 6. Before assembling these parts a layerof grahpite (indicated at 7 j is placed between the clamping-bars and the carbons at their surfaces of contact, and sufficient pressure is then exerted to compress this graphite layer, which, as will be readily seen, completely adapts itself to all irregularity of the adjacent surfaces. The clamping-bars 3 and `the nipples 6 are cored out to provide channels 8 for the circulation of cooling water or other cooling medium which enters and discharges through the circulating-pipes 9.

l0 is a refractory coating or jacket of the character above described and which is employed for the .purpose of protecting the exposed portions of the carbons from oxidation. This coating or jacket is provided with circulating-ducts 1 l, molded therein for the passage through the jacket of a cooll ing medium which may be supplied from any suitable source, as by connecting said ducts with the circulating-passage 8 in the clamping-bars 3.

The construction shown in Figs. 3 and 41 illustrate the invention applied to an electrode of circular form, the construction and arrangement of the bars except for the changein shape to suit the circular form of the carbon being the same as in Figs. l and 2 and above described.

I do not limit myself to the use of any particular form of carbon for the conductors or electrodes, as these may be either of amorphous, graphitized carbon, or other forms.

The advantages of my invention result from the perfect electrical contact which is secured between the carbon or carbons and the holders, the efl'ective manner in which the exposed holders or clamps are protected from excessive heat, and the means by which the exposed portions of the carbon are jacketed to prevent oxidation.

Various changes may be made in the form, shape, and character of the conductors or electrodes in the'holders or connectors therefor and the particular means employed for clamping the holders and in other details without departing from the spirit 'and the scope of my invention, since What I claim is- 1. A joint for electric conductors having between the surfaces to beconnected alayer 3 3 are metal holding andl of compressed electrically-pro duced graphite; substantially as described.

2. The combination with an electrode, of a metal connecting member or holder and a layer of electrically-produced graphite between the contactlng surfaces of the electrede and the "connector or holder; substantially as described.

3. A oint for electric Vconductors having a layer of artificial electrically-produced graphitebetween the contact-surfaces to be connected, and means for compressing the graphite layer; substantially as described.

4. An electrode comprising one or more carbon rods, a metal connector'or holder for said rods, a layer of graphite between the contact-surfaces of the carbons and the connectorf'o'r holder, and meansfor joining the carbons and the connector or holder and at the same time, compressing the graphite layer betweeny them; substantially as described.

5. An electrode comprising one or more carbon rods, a water-jacketed metal connector or holder for said rods, a layer of graphite between the contact-surfaces of the carbons and the connector or holder, .and clamping means for securing the carbons and connector or holder and compressing the graphite layer .between them; substantially as described.

6. An electrode comprising one or more carbon rods, clamping members having circulating-passages therein, and connecting means for said clamping members also having circulating-passages conn ecting the firstnamed passages; substantially as described.

7. An electrode comprising one or more lcarbon rods, a two-.part clamp or holder for the same, having circulating-passages therein, a layer of graphite between the contactsurfaces of the carbon rods and the holder, and eonnectingmeans forthe parts of said holder' also having circulating-passages therein; substantially as described.

8. An electrode having one or more carbons, and a bodyof cemented refractory material surrounding the carbons and protecting them from oxidation, said body being provided with ducts for the circulation of cooling medium; substantially as described.

9. An electrode comprising one or more carbons, a metal connector, a layer of graphite between the contact-surfaces of the carbons and the connector, means for joining the carbons and the connector and compress- 'ing the graphite, laver between them, and a IOO IIO

a layer of electrically-produced graphite between the contact surfaces of the carbons and the connect'onmeans forjoining the carbone and connector and compressing the tween them, and e body of cemented refracgraphite layer between them, and a body of tory material around-the carbons, seid body cemented silicocarbid around the carbons, i being provided with ducts for the circulation and protecting them from oxidation; silbof a cooling medium; substantially es de- I5 5 stantielly as described. scribed.

11. An electrode comprising one or more In testimony whereof I hevehereunto set carbons, a Weter-jacketedmetal connector, a my hand. layer of graphite between the contet-sur- FRANK J. TONE. faces of the cerbons and the connector, Witnesses: 1o means for joining the carbons and the connec- ARTHUR BA'rTs,

tor and compressing the graphite'leyer be- FRED I. PIERCE. 

